......... well it certainly is for Swifts who mate on the wing.
I was watching these two Swifts who were flying into the wind and by Swift standards relatively slowly, they flew closer and closer in a synchronised pairing until, with fixed wings, they covered each other.
I can only conclude that they were mating.
I've read about it in the books, but never expected to witness the act.
......
last weekend I went out with the objective of getting a few Hobby images and I couldn't understand why the auto focus was playing up.
Surely not another expensive return to the Nikon service centre !
Logic prevailed, brain was engaged and sure enough the problem was traced to an elementary error, somehow I had knocked the metering switch to spot rather than centre weighted which is my preferred setting for in flight shooting.
I then targeted some Swifts, the images are o.k., but again I need to hone my technique to improve images of these fast flying charmers as they scream through the sky, it was nice to get some eye contact.
You live and learn.
My neighbours have a Pantile roofed outbuilding that has been used for nesting by Swifts for many decades.
It is incredible to watch the adult birds accessing the roof space. They scream in at high speed and flare their wings at the very last second before entry.
After it has rained they also use the guttering for drinking and bathing.
Many have now departed with only a few stragglers remaining in my patch of the woods.
With apologies for the bad focusing on this shot ( not an easy bird to catch ! ).
Youngster awaiting the arrival of food.
